The roof leaks, it needs painting and the heat is iffy, but North Carolina’s International Folk Festival has a home all its own — the recently named Folkmoot Friendship Center at the old Hazelwood Elementary School.

Renovations are currently under way at the old school. A lease arrangement has been worked out with the school system and a $350,000 loan for construction has been secured. For its previous 18 years, Folkmoot organizers had a permanent office but temporarily turned school facilities into an international village during the two-week festival in July. Beginning with the 19th festival in 2002, everything will be housed at the new location.

“It’s important for us to have everything under one roof,” said George Escaravage, president of the Folkmoot Board of Directors. “We can have our office there, have staff on site, and eventually do some special things like have a Folkmoot museum.”

Most importantly, perhaps, the extra work of setting up living facilities for up to 350 dancers — and then tearing it down again each year — won’t have to take place. Haywood County schools and Folkmoot had worked together for years to house the dancers, but the school system’s need to offer summer programs finally made that arrangement unworkable.

Having permanent facilities should benefit the community in other ways, said Escaravage. In addition to the permanent dormitories, the cafeteria at Hazelwood will be renovated and new showers and bathrooms will be installed. That means the old school will be suitable for use as an emergency shelter and for other events where people need to be housed and fed for a week: school camps and sports camps; it will also be available for public meetings, reunions and use by civic and community clubs; there will be class rooms for workshops and continuing education classes; an auditorium for use when larger groups or performances are held; a small gym for use by organizations like dance clubs; and a site for use by anyone for a community event like Razzle Dazzle or the United Way.

“That school has been sitting empty for two years, but it still has a lot of use left in it,” said Escaravage. “Folkmoot is all about community spirit, sharing and coming together. We think the Folkmoot Friendship Center can help Folkmoot spread its message and also help a lot of other groups in the community who may have a need for space like this.”

For now, Folkmoot will share the old school with two other entities — the Job Link center at one end and a childcare center operated by the school system at the other end.

Let the work begin

Before the Folkmoot Friendship Center officially opens, though, a lot of work has to be done. The 50,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1923 and is in need of major renovations which will have to be completed by July 15. Work is already under way.

Folkmoot employee Case Brown and volunteer Rufus Setser have been at the site almost daily for several weeks. More than 40,000 pounds of trash have been removed, unnecessary walls demolished and carpet removed. Plumbing upgrades will begin soon. Architect Joe Sam Queen and engineer Steve Kaufman have volunteered their services for the project.

In April and May, Folkmoot’s Board of Directors will volunteer their time to paint the 34 rooms in the building. Each director has been assigned a room, and they are responsible for recruiting volunteer labor to complete the job. That spirit of volunteerism, says Escaravage, is what Folkmoot is all about.

Executive committee member Linda Manes agreed: “Then I can say, ‘I painted that wall.’”

As the work progresses, Folkmoot’s board of directors will be seeking volunteer help and financial contributions. Naming opportunities for various projects and rooms in the Folkmoot Friendship Center will be announced soon, said Escaravage. The board hopes that contributions and grants will allow it to pay off the renovation loan within a few years.

“By bringing people together as we do this, they all get buy in,” said Escaravage. “Lots of people can be a part of this festival, and the work on the Friendship Center will provide a lot of opportunities for people who are interested.”

Although much has to be done before July 15, Folkmoot Executive Director Jackie Bolden says she’s confident the Friendship Center will be ready.

“This festival has always relied on volunteers and community support. There’s a lot to do, but I have no doubt we will get it done. It has to get done,” said Bolden.

Ringing up the culture

Folkmoot’s impact on Western North Carolina is far-reaching.

An economic impact study conducted by Western Carolina University is expected to be released within a couple of weeks. Early figures released to Folkmoot officials show that the festival generates about $4 million in sales throughout the region during its two-week run. That translates into about $350,000 in taxes and an equivalent of about 42 permanent jobs.

Approximately 70,000 people from at least 40 states visit during the festival.

School children in the region benefit from the festival. Each year free programs are scheduled at schools throughout Western North Carolina, exposing students to international cultures. There have also been several exchange programs where foreign students were housed in Western North Carolina. Each year dozens of free programs are held in eight mountain counties, providing entertainment for school children, rest homes, group homes and at other facilities.